Heart and Soul
by Lily Yamamoto
Summary: It was a hot day in New Orleans and Dr. Facilier is out and about. He needs a customer and he thinks he has found his next victim. His friends on the other side are waiting...


The sun shone hot and humid on the little city of New Orleans. They said it was record heat.

Dark shadows of the citizens were cast on the ground. But one particular shadow was flickering whose owner, to say the least, not moving at all.

If you were new in town, you might think 'Well, hey now, this is a strange looking fellow.' But if you were from around her, and wise for the matter, you would know that this man was none other than the Shadow Man.

Dr. Facilier as he liked to call himself.

Business was going slow for Dr. Facilier today.

People were staying indoors due to the heat. The restaurants were filled to the brim with people sipping cold beverages and children licking ice cream cones.

He looked around to see who his next customer would be.

From the cool, shady alley where he was standing, he could hear sharp footsteps walking closer. An upstanding looking gentleman walked by.

A smile curled on his lips and he stepped out from the shadows to meet the man.

"How ya doin' kid? Care for a card reading?" he asked as he took out his tarot cards, starting to shuffle them.

"No thank you. I have a meeting to get to and I'm running late." The man said as he sped along.

"Oh, come now. It'll only be a minute. Don't you wanna see what the future holds for you?" he asked in a tempting manor..

"My future is what I make it, sir." He said in a disgusted voice, "Now if you'll excuse me, good day."

The man turned on his heel and walked away.

Dr. Facilier leaned up against the wall and breathed a sigh on frustration.

'Hm, he's one of those fellas, thinking he shapes his future, ha!'

There was no one else in sight, so he decided to take a little walk. As he walked, he became nervous. He needed customers; his 'friends on the other side' were getting restless. As he walked, he soon spotted someone on a nearby bench.

It was a girl, a young woman to be exact. Not the most gorgeous thing in the world, but not the most distasteful. She was definitely curvier than most women he sees in New Orleans.

'Perfect.' He thought.

As he walked closer, he noticed that she was fully engrossed in a book, not something most women her age would be interested in.

'Time to turn on the old charm.' He thought preparing.

"Well, hey there darlin'. Might I say you look awfully pretty today." He said charismatically.

She looked up slowly from her book and replied a quick "Hello".

"Now what's a pretty young thing doing out here in the sweltering heat just reading a book?" he asked.

"Well, sir, maybe I like to read." She replied shortly.

Dr. Facilier sat on the bench with her. She was going to be a tough one, but he's dealt with tougher.

"I know what you're doing." She stated out of the blue.

He was taken aback a little, how could she have known his plan?

"And just what am I doing my dear?" he asked ever so coolly.

"It's what all of the men here do to me. They came up to me, sweet talkin' and such. I get excited, they ask me out to dance and by the end of the night, I'm humiliated and the men and their friends have a good laugh. I'll just save you the trouble. No, no and no."

'Ooh, that was close' he thought. Dr. Facilier was safe for now and turned on the charm once more.

"Ah, now darlin', those men don't know what they're doing. I bet they're missin' out on a good thing. Don't listen to fools like them. I'll bet you'll find a nice man someday that will treat you right." He said.

She closed her book, leaving her index finger on her page to save it.

"That's very nice of you, but I don't see it happening any time soon." She said.

"Well, how 'bout we find out who this lucky man is? What do you say, you come with me to my shop and I'll give you a card reading." He offered. The Doc was getting close.

She looked up at him again.

"I'm sorry, not today. I don't have that much money on me."

His friends were waiting. He dreaded asking but…

"Now, now, how 'bout I give you half price, just cause I like you." He cringed a little, he hated to offer this, but he was a little desperate at this point.

The woman looked up from her book and a smile started to form on her face; she started to nod her head.

"Okay, why not!" she shoved her book inside her bag and slug it over her shoulder.

"Now that's the spirit!" he cheered, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "Now what' your name, missy?"

"Margaret." She replied.

"Well, Margaret," he said moving in front of her, removing his hat "A tip of the hat from Dr. Facilier."

She giggled, probably at his hair, it was a mess.

"Well, now that we have been introduced properly, let's head to my shop…"

They walked down two more streets before they reached the familiar alley. It was almost time, he could feel it.

He opened the door and gestured for her to enter. Margaret gave a soft sigh of relief.

"Ah, it's nice and cool in here." She remarked.

"Why thank you." He replied. "Now, come sit over here at my table and we shall get started."

Dr. Facilier led Margaret over to his table. He walked over to his chair and Margaret started to sit in hers. His shadow pushed her chair in.

Dr. Facilier's tarot cards appeared in his hand and he began to shuffle. Margaret took in her surroundings, noticing all of the jars and different types of books.

"Pick three, please." He asked politely holding the cards out in front of him.

Margaret studied the cards for a moment and then decided on three, she handed them to the Doc.

He placed the cards in from of him in the order of the past, present and the future.

"Well, aren't you a boring person! My cards tell me that you don't get out much. Not a lot of friends then, I'd assume?" he questioned.

His tarot card showed a woman sitting in an empty room with one window. She was sitting with her legs crossed with a book in her hand, looking longingly out the single window. There was a lavish party occurring outside.

Margaret's mouth was agape but she shut it quickly. "I am not boring!" she stated "I can have fun…I read."

"Heh, heh, heh, a lot of fun is right. And look where it's gotten you." He said as he flipped over the next card. He frowned a bit.

"Well, that's uncalled for," he said "Boys used to make fun of you as a kid?"

Margaret cast her eyes down at the floor for a moment. "I guess they did." She said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"And you let it get to you," he stated. "And now yourself conscious. Exactly why you keep to yourself am I right?"

She looked at Dr. Facilier for a minute or two.

"You're good." She acknowledged.

"Well, I pride myself on being good" he said.

He flipped over the last card.

Tis time.

"Ah, well look at this…" he started.

"What? What is it?" Margaret asked.

"It seems that someone, soon too darlin', is gonna steal away your heart and soul."

Margaret's eyes lit up and a smile formed on her face.

"My word, when will this happen?" she asked with an excited tone.

Dr. Facilier's eyes were downcast and he slowly raised his head with a sickly evil look upon his face.

"Right now."

Suddenly, the room went dark. One could hear faint chanting crescendoing louder and louder.

It was time to deliver another soul to his 'friends on the other side' and Margaret was the next victim.

Phantom snakes slithered out from underneath Margaret's char and wrapped tightly around her forearms. Margaret struggled, but the restraints were too tight. Her heart raced and she started to hyperventilate.

"Hey! What's going on, what are you doing?!" she yelled.

Dr. Facilier didn't listen. His skeleton mask appeared on his face, causing Margaret to screech in fear when she sees him.

He had a dagger in his hand. The blade was covered in ancient voodoo runes. The chanting continued. Dr. Facilier walked closer and closer, raising the dagger higher and higher. Tears streamed down Margaret's face.

"I told you someone would steal your soul, didn't I?"

He thrust his knife into her chest, piercing her heart.

Margaret let out a blood curdling scream. Twist of the knife. Blood poured out of the wound and trickled out of Margaret's mouth.

She spoke no more, she took not a breath. Her head slumped forward.

Margaret was dead.

Dr. Facilier's hand was covered in her blood. He pulled the knife out slowly.

Attached to the tip was a translucent, cloud like wisp.

It was her soul.

As carefully as he could, he pulled the soul clear through her chest and carried it to his voodoo masks. The largest one opened its mouth. Dr. Facilier threw the soul up and it floated into the mouth of his friend.

Goodbye Margaret.

Once the soul had entered the other side, Margaret's body had turned to ash and a phantom wind blew it away off of the chair. The chanting stopped. Dr. Facilier removed his mask, took out his handkerchief and wiped the blood off of his hands.

"One down, about a million to go!" he joked.

Dr. Facilier adjusted his jacket, fixed his hat and walked toward the door.

Margaret's bag was still there. He took it and searched it thoroughly. He pocked the $3.50 she had. He found her book. After a quick look through, he walked over to his bookshelf and added it to his collection.

He then headed once more to the door to find his next victim, to find his friend a new meal. His shadow tagged along.

The sun shone hot and humid on the little city of New Orleans.

They said it was record heat.

* * *

Heh, i just thought of this one night and just had to write it down. Unfortunately, i have seen a lot of Mary Sues for this man. Not all of the OC's have to lust after him, some can be viciously stabbed like mine :D haha, i hope you all enjoy this.


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